asked the Minister for Education if he will reconsider his Department's reported attitude to the request for a transition year for the Mount Temple comprehensive school; if he will give a commitment now that such a transition year will be able to be commenced at an early date; and if he will make a statement as to his attitude in this respect.
Written Answers. - Transition Year Programme.
204.
The decision not to santion a transition year programme in Mount Temple comprehensive school in the 1986-87 school year was taken in the context of paragraph 22 of the document Ages for Learning published in May 1985 wherein it is stated that:
"Development (i.e. of the Transition Year Option) will only occur on a phased basis and will be controlled to do so".
A total of 201 applications for transition year programmes in 1986 were received of which 116 were sanctioned. When making its decision on the application from Mount Temple school the Department was aware that the school had decided to defer implementation of its proposal.
A further letter was received from the school on 26 November 1986 regarding the possibility of providing a transition year programme in the future, and the terms of that letter are under consideration in the Department.